Business and Environment

Prior to the Federal Clean Air Act of 1970 Wisconsin businesses could operate without concern for Federal regulatory constraint. Environmental regulation of Wisconsin's waste, water and air was largely left up to state government.  Unfortunately state government was reluctant to assert its regulatory power in cases where environmental legislation might be in tension with business development. This tension between what is good for business on one hand, versus what is good for a healthy environment on the other, could not be resolved by the states. Thus, it was necessary for the Federal government to intervene. After all, it is the Federal governments duty to protect its citizens, especially where individual states are not.